UWI’s independence art exhibition at Rotunda Gallery

A Whole History Still, an art exhibition by The UWI's Faculty of Humanities and Education, opens at the Rotunda Gallery, Red House, Port of Spain on Monday.

The display commemorates TT’s 60th anniversary of independence.

The exhibition's title is from an essay by the late Lloyd Best – a political and economic thinker – in which Best suggests there is still work to be done to assess and make sense of who we are as a people.

“The exhibition asks: how much do we know about ourselves?” says Dr Marsha Pearce, curator of the exhibition. “Sixty years later, there is a whole history still — a broader picture of ourselves to see and understand.”

Pearce, who lectures in visual arts at the Department of Creative and Festival Arts and is a deputy dean, said, “We celebrate our independence anniversaries with the sparkle and zest of fireworks displays, but this is also a time for reflection, for self-examination, for evaluating how far we have come and for mapping our way ahead.”

The exhibition features painting, photography and sculpture by 14 artists: James Armstrong, Vera Baney, Edward Bowen, LeRoy Clarke, Christopher Cozier, Kenwyn Crichlow, Che Lovelace, Cynthia McLean, Wendy Nanan, Maria Nunes, Shawn Peters, Shalini Seereeram, Salisha Stanley and Audley Sue Wing.

Pieces, such as Salisha Stanley’s “The Dreamer,” invite audiences to consider their aspirations, goals and vision as a nation. Che Lovelace’s painting “Practising Drummer” is a reminder that colonial history includes the banning of drums under British rule, and that as independent people we must move to our own beat.

Art and history are among the degree programmes at the faculty and the exhibition spotlights what is considered important areas of knowledge, while creating a space for learning.

A Whole History Still runs from November 7-18. Viewing times are Monday-Friday, 9 am-5pm, and Saturday, 10 am-6 pm.